Before you check out for a long Independence Day holiday weekend, we thought you would be heartened to see what Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill had to say on the latest abortion-related court ruling. This week’s preliminary injunction against portions of SEA 404, the parental rights bill, is a temporary setback, but we’re pleased AG Hill is fighting for life to prevail in Indiana!

-Mike

AG Curtis Hill

“The challenge of this law is nothing more than an attempt to give courts rather than parents the legal guardianship of children. When an unemancipated minor undergoes even the most basic medical procedures, the involvement of a parent or legal guardian is typically required. However, for the time being, Wednesday’s injunction essentially encourages a minor to go it alone through the emotionally and physically overwhelming procedure of aborting a human being. We will always support the authority of parents to know what is going on with their children and continue to defend Hoosier parents,” Hill said.

“This law already enables judges to determine that some minors could have extenuating circumstances in their relationships with their parents that make notification unwise or unsafe. In these instances, judges have full authority to waive the notification of parents. By requiring minors to notify their parents, Senate Enrolled Act 404 increases the likelihood that minors will go through this process with the support and guidance needed.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Judge Sarah Evans Barker issued a preliminary injunction yesterday against portions of Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 404 in a case brought by Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. SEA 404 is a new parental rights law designed to give parents more rights if their minor daughter seeks an abortion. Portions of SEA 404 not blocked by Barker take effect Jul. 1.

“Indiana’s new parental rights law was passed by a majority of our duly elected state legislators and signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb,” said Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “Hoosiers are tired of seeing activist judges legislate abortion from the bench. Planned Parenthood runs straight to the courts anytime they find a law they don’t like. Planned Parenthood is not winning in the court of public opinion and their clients are leaving them in droves, but they can always count on the judicial branch to hand them a victory.

“We urge the state to continue to defend SEA 404.”

Indiana Right to Life’s mission is to protect the right to life, especially of unborn children, through positive education, compassionate advocacy and promotion of healthy alternatives to abortion.

###

Posted by mfichter | Filed Under News | Comments Off on Planned Parenthood Finds Another Judge Willing to Legislate Abortion from Bench

INDIANAPOLIS – Analysis of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky’s (PPINK) last 10 years of publicly-available, fiscal year annual reports shows major declines at Indiana’s largest abortion business. Nearly half of PPINK’s client base has left it. Procedures are down in every category that appeared in both the 2007 and 2016 annual reports, except for abortions, which are up 5 percent.

Indiana Right to Life reviewed the reports as PPINK prepares to have Christie Gillespie assume its top leadership post on Jul. 1. Gillespie takes over as 15-year President and CEO, Betty Cockrum, retires. Cockrum was hired by Planned Parenthood of Indiana in 2002 and she led the merge of Indiana and Kentucky into one Planned Parenthood organization in 2013. Annual reports from 2013 to present include both states’ services and client numbers.

From 2007 to 2016, total patient visits to Planned Parenthood dropped by nearly 180,000 visits, or 60 percent. In 2007, Planned Parenthood of Indiana had 97,900 unduplicated patients. In 2016, unduplicated patients dropped to only 51,100 in both Indiana and Kentucky. PPINK sees only .005 percent of the total population of Indiana and Kentucky.

Procedures are down in every category that appeared in both the 2007 and 2016 annual reports, except for abortions. From 2007 to 2016:

Abortions have risen from 5,160 to 5,397, or 5 percent.

Pap tests have dropped from 50,100 to 5,300 tests, or 90 percent.

Pregnancy tests have dropped from 22,785 to 10,206 tests, or 55 percent.

Chlamydia tests have dropped from 41,469 to 24,748 tests, or 40 percent.

Gonorrhea tests have dropped from 41,659 to 24,752 tests, or 41 percent.

HIV tests have dropped from 7,191 to 6,203 tests, or 14 percent.

Colposcopy procedures have dropped from 600 to 115 procedures, or 81 percent.

LEEP procedures have dropped from 83 to 15 procedures, or 82 percent.

Cryotherapy procedures have dropped from 62 to 2, or 97 percent.

Revenue to the abortion business has ranged between $13.7 and $16.6 million/year between 2007 and 2016. In 2007, its annual revenue was $16.6 million and in 2016 its revenue was $16.1 million.

Fewer people in poverty are being served by Planned Parenthood. In 2007, 75 percent of Planned Parenthood of Indiana’s clients were at or below 150 percent poverty. In 2016, only 54 percent of PPINK’s clients were at or below 150 percent poverty.

In 2007, Planned Parenthood of Indiana operated 35 Indiana locations. Today, it runs 17 locations in the Hoosier state and two in Kentucky. None of the 18 closed Indiana locations did abortions.

“These reports do not paint a picture of good health for Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky,” said Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “While every other procedure category declined from 2007 to 2016, Planned Parenthood continued to convince women to end their pregnancies. Forget women’s health – Planned Parenthood’s business model is all about abortion and these numbers show it.

“Planned Parenthood’s clients are leaving in droves. They can find more comprehensive and affordable health care elsewhere. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky’s new CEO has her work cut out for her. We expect she will try to continue convincing the public that the abortion business deserves taxpayer funding, all while cutting services and locations and selling more abortions. The truth is, Planned Parenthood does not need our funding.”

“Reproductive health is a top conversation right now, there’s a lot of debate and I think there are real possibilities that we may regress.”

We’re not really sure what Gillespie means by “regress.” Perhaps abortion numbers will continue to decline in Indiana? Maybe more women will choose life? More will find health care at places that offer a wider range of services? Is that really “regressing?”

Friends, you can rest assured that we will continue to closely monitor Planned Parenthood. After all, Planned Parenthood is Indiana’s biggest abortion business, aborting around 5,000 Hoosier babies each year.

Posted by mfichter | Filed Under Blog | Comments Off on New Planned Parenthood CEO Worried about Regressing